High Fives In The Face

It was a busy night for the tooth fairy last night. Yesterday morning before school the second little traveller walked into our bedroom with a gap between her teeth and a ziplock bag with a tiny tooth tucked away in one of its corners.

“My tooth came out!”

The fourth little traveller was sitting on my bed, he was unimpressed with the news, the cloud of jealousy was visible as it weighed down on his furrowed brow.

“That’s not fair” he said with a pout. “My tooth has been wiggly for weeks and it still won’t come out.”

At that moment he grabbed his wiggling tooth to show us.

“See!” he said giving the tooth an overdramatic tug.

And as he did it, the tooth set itself free and came out in his hand.

Both the fourth and second little traveller’s eyes opened wide as they gasped, both couldn’t believe it. He’d pulled it out right there and then. As they rolled on the bed together they were full of “Oh My Gawds” and “I just pulled it and…” and then more giggles.

Twenty minutes later when it was time to go to school they’d moved on. There was a fight about what we were going to listen to in the car and I watched them both walk separately into the school yard. Their day would now be full of friends, and lesson plans. They would spend the day within their separate tribes, if they were to see each other the only acknowledgment would be an understated nod.

After school the second and third little travellers had cricket practice. I watched straight faced as the third little traveller bowled while the second stood at the crease to bat. When a catch was dropped I found myself conflicted and then smiled as they both giggled together. This is not how it would have played out at home.

In the meantime the first and fourth traveller rolled around on the grass by my feet. Handstands and rounds off were made. The fourth pinned the first to the ground and crawled all over her, kissing her arm while she pretended to be trapped. When the practice was over the second and third little travellers walked towards us, they were having a conversation, laughing about something/someone. They looked over at the first and fourth as they approached them and without any words they somehow all merged together.

“Are we going straight to the softball tournament now?” said the third.

“Yep! I have to work in the concessions stand at 5” I offered.

There was a communal yay, the tournament meant hotdogs and burgers, the second and third love to work in the stand together.

An hour later I watched them sitting side by side, they’d work out a method, one took the money while the other grabbed the goods. I thought about the fights I’d refereed all week. The pettiness, the dobbing, the crying and the squawking. “She told me I was stupid” followed by “he hit me in the face” and the “I did not, it was a high high five, I was just high fiving you and I missed and got your cheek.”  The amount of times I’d yelled “ENOUGH!” and “I’M GOING TO STOP THIS CAR RIGHT NOW!”.

I thought of that, and realized I needed to remember this.

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Comments

  1. I miss your kids xx

  2. My goodness you’ve a busy household.

  3. Carissa JH says

    I’ve been refereeing all week between Miss 5 and Master 3. But tonight when they were playing peek a boo with their 5 month old sister, and she is laughing out loud and watching them in amazement……all is right in the world in my perfect happy bubble

  4. Alli @ ducks on the dam says

    Yes. I try to remember the snuggles on the couch when the small one has laid the boot into the big one lying on the floor as she walks past her. Sometimes a little tricky….

  5. this brings back memories from my own childhood as the second of four. thanks, Kirsty.

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